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L.A. Still the Smoggiest City in America
Photo by G. J. Winterboer via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Los Angeles is number one in the country....at least when it comes to how much smog we have. The American Lung Association's annual State of the Air rankings names Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside as the most polluted in terms of Ozone this year (we take the #3 spot in Year Round Particle Pollution and #4 is Short-Term Particle Pollution, too).
Helping us get to our top spot is the fact that here in L.A. we endure "an average of more than 140 days a year of dangerous ozone levels," explains the LA Times, adding that "sll of the nation's 10 smoggiest counties are in California, with San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, Tulare and Los Angeles leading the pack."
Low-level Ozone, or smog, is the result of gasses and compounds reacting to heat and sunlight, and can be harmful if inhaled. The particle pollution is the fine matter in the air, and can also be dangerous to inhale. The report's findings reinforce the long-time concern regarding air pollution and our health, as well as the state's push to lessen emissions, even in the face of opposition to such laws stemming from economic concerns.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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